When it comes to barefoot shoes, Wildling shoes are in a class all their own. From ecologically-sound manufacturing and environmental friendliness, to the wild feeling of their imagery, and their Japanese-inspired split sole design, when you go Wildling, you go into a new realm of shoe enjoyment and foot freedom.
These Wombats were sent to me for review and all thoughts are my own, but I am an affiliate so if you use links on this page to make a purchase a small portion will be returned to me. Check out the Reviews page for more Wildling reviews on models such as Nebula, Feather, and Tanuki.
Note in 2021: This model is no longer produced, but North Wolf (release date Sept 25 2021) is a very similar model with darker coloring and if you’re looking for sizing, fit, and care advice this is still a great place to get it.
To learn more about the 2021 fall collection, check out this page.
Really important note: most of the links on this page go to the main Wildling website. I know you all come from all over the world and I LOVE that. As of 6/15/2021, however, US and Canadian customers must use THIS LINK to purchase and it will require a brand new account to do so. If you sign up, however, you will receive a 5% discount code valid on your first order placed in 2021.
Sections
Company
I’m starting with this because Wildling is more than shoes, it’s a culture that starts with a clear, mission-oriented approach from the top down. They value relationships, good materials, and low impact on the environment in their production and their shoes. They were founded by Anna and Ran in 2013 when they moved back to Germany after over 10 years in barefoot-friendly Israel. They wanted to support natural movement and proper biomechanics, especially for children. Their goal is to “interfere with the foot as little as possible” with necessary protection but little impact to natural movement. Read their history here.
Wildling is very transparent about corporate values and responsibility, which you can read in full here.
Technical specifications
- Upper of 100% virgin wool
- Integrated polyester membrane (for waterproofing)
- Lined in felted wool from Nordwolle
- Edging of 100% polyamide microfiber
- Outsole of 80% synthetic rubber with 50% recycled content, 20% cork. 2.5 mm thick from sizes 36–41 and 3.5 mm thick from sizes 42–48
Appearance
The coloring of these shoes ranges from a patterned medium brown on the main body of the shoes to a dark brown on the edging. The sole is also a medium brown. In some lights or photographs the shoes can have a hint of grey from the patterning, but in most lights they are brown in line with their main coloring.
I’ve worn these with jeggings and dresses, and find they go best with bold colors. My favorite look is the first picture, with the bright jewel tones setting off the very natural-looking brown of the shoes. You could also pivot entirely to a natural look and incorporate other woodland colors to be more in tune with natural surroundings. I’ve also happily dressed them up with cheerful patterns.
Fit
Because these Wildling are a lined winter model, the fit is tighter than other Wildlings you may have tried. However, this doesn’t exclude those of us with higher calf sizes at all. I have worn these with socks and jeggings inside them, and still have extra room around. They have been quite generous with these, which makes me very happy as a wide-calf gal.
Sizing
The tighter fit can impact both length and volume. If you have a low volume foot (check this post out for an explanation) then you probably want to stick to your normal size. If, like me, you trend higher volume, and especially if you want to wear insoles or thick socks, consider sizing up. I’m normally a 43, but these are a 44. If in doubt, check out Wildling’s Fitkit for assistance. Just remember that the kit does not show width accurately. It’s entirely focused on helping you get the right length. If you don’t have a printer, the same link will take you to a downloadable PDF with measuring instructions and lengths.
Insoles
Along with the shoes, Wildling sent me Felty insoles to try. This is another plus behind my size-up: the insoles work much better. Note that they will compress with wear, but they start out at a nice 5-7 mm in thickness, depending on your size, so they definitely take up some room.
It hasn’t yet been super cold here, but I’ve still gone out in them several times and can very much tell the difference between the bottoms of my feet and the sides in terms of warmth, but without getting sweaty even in 70+ degree heat. I would recommend springing for the extra $10 (USD) if you’re in a really cold climate.
Breaking In
There is no break-in period with Wildling shoes that I’ve seen, and Wombats follow right along with that ideal. You can wear them immediately and should experience no rubbing or discomfort anywhere.
How do they feel?
Warm! Obviously. Very soft and with minimal structure to hold their shape without impeding your foot movement, just as they are designed. Wildling have a lot of give, up to their maximum volume. So if you’re low volume you can get some extra width, but if you’re wide and high volume, you’re going to get less flex, especially in a thicker winter model like this.
I’m quite sensitive to wool, even high-quality wool like this, so I make sure to always wear at least a medium weight sock. Without this personal sensitivity, I find them soft, comfortable, and easy to wear for walks on soft ground or pavement.
Drawbacks?
This style of boot without a zipper has the one drawback of some effort to lace them each time, especially if you’re above-average on volume. You can get around that by using elastic laces, or getting the shorter/lighter-colored version of this in Buzzard model.
The sole of Wildling has always left me looking at them side-eyed. It’s not because of looks, or the common question of durability, or even worry about it tearing (though if you’re walking on a lot of sharp rocks or pointy sticks, watch out). It’s just the thought of keeping them clean. I’ve been pleasantly surprised. Yes, they get dirty just like any sole, but it’s been quite easy to remove stains and debris from the microfiber and keep going.
The black that you see above at the ball of the foot extending to the outer edge is a special patch Wildling now includes to protect the exposed sole without impeding movement by adding a full-depth sole at those points.
Waterproofing
The big question with these has been How Waterproof are They? They have several things going in their favor here:
- Wool is naturally water-repellant, especially when it has its natural lanolin
- There is an integrated membrane giving you a seal
- Spraying the microfiber
What it’s missing for this is a gusseted (sewn to the sides) tongue which would allow you to step into deeper water without it coming into the shoe past the top of the seam, which you can see here is quite low.
I sprayed my pair as indicated (avoiding spraying the wool) but we’ve had no rain until about an hour after I did my own test by submerging the bottoms for 5 minutes, and then pouring water hard on the wool and leaving the front, wool included, submerged for another minute past that.
I’m happy to report that there was zero water intrusion. I think that with regular spraying of the microfiber you can deal with a lot of wet conditions in these shoes.
What I can’t say is that they’d be good for salty, slushy city streets. Salt (and other chemicals found on streets normally) are going to be very hard on natural materials like this. I’d recommend these for plenty of natural wet, cold times, but not necessarily for city wear in the winter. Anti-snow and ice prevention treatments are probably too harsh.
How do they do on snow and ice?
This is an added section at the end of December 2020. For Christmas, we were gifted with 5 days of snow on the ground and I took my Wombats out for an adventure. Results?
- Very warm. The double wool construction and Felty insoles kept my feet (clad only in basic socks) completely warm at 20F, even standing still. With good socks I’m certain things would be fine much colder.
- Good snow protection. This was test was only a few minutes due to the reason below, but I found the snow caked up on the wool, but did not penetrate at all.
- Not good when things are slippery/on a hill. The snow was quite powdery and I still lost my footing on a fairly gentle slope and hit the ground.
Recommendation? Snow ✔ Cold ✔ Ice ❌
Cleaning and Care
I keep a master list of all products I use here (affiliate links), but the two main ones I have are:
- Nikwax Fabric and Leather Proof Waterproofing
- Outback Gold Wool Wash
The Nikwax will keep the microfiber resistant to water intrusion, while wool wash is used to clean wool clothing and restore the natural lanolin that greatly increases your water protection. I haven’t used the latter yet, but do have it on hand (and would have used it if my submersion test failed).
These shoes are not machine washable or dryable. You can brush off dried debris or wipe deeper stains with a wet cloth. Wildling includes care instructions for each model and sells spray, sealing compound (I have not done that to the soles on mine) and cleaning brushes. I use this set of brushes from Amazon.
Purchasing
Wildling shoes are available worldwide. If you’re in the US, these come to just over $150 including shipping and they accept Paypal, Amazon Pay, and credit cards. You can get own pair for most countries on the main Wildling website. As of 6/15/2021 this has changed and US/Canadian customers must now use THIS LINK.
Shipment and Returns
Shipping is via DHL Express and arrives very quickly, in about 3 days from shipping date to the US. Returns (the first one is free) are processed directly through Wildling with the most efficient, professional, and cost-effective method I’ve seen, also through DHL. Go to this link for returns.
Final thoughts
Wildling is always set apart as far as minimalist shoes go. They’ve forged their own path with a unique look and sole, and wearers are rewarded with a next-level barefoot experience to go with it. You can tell that a lot of thought, effort, and optimization has gone into these shoes over time, and the experience only gets better.
These Wombats join my Nebulas (bought myself – review here) as permanent parts of my shoe collection, destined for regular, enjoyable wear. I look forward to seeing what they bring out in the future and think almost anyone can benefit from Wildling’s shoes and approach.
Have any questions about Wildling Wombat or any other shoes? Come join the conversations on Instagram and Facebook. Check out all my reviews here and available discounts and sales here.
